Ages of Desire: Book 2 Discovery
by Corianin
Summary: What happens when a centuries-old vampire and a mortal girl less than two decades in age bond to one another in the heat of passion? You don't know? Funny. They don't know either. But ignorance really isn't bliss.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: So we've got a pretty little dilemma now. Leave it to my resident Evil Plot Bunnies to - once more - take the very nice, tidy storyline I'd had planned for Ages of Desire and turn it into Play Doh. I'm not objecting. I usually don't. But it's a bit weird how my stories always start off as one thing and by the time they're finished they bear absolutely no resemblance to what I'd thought they would be. LOL At any rate, on with the show!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Alice got back to the house, she was bombarded by a very pissed-off Edward.

"What the hell is wrong with Bella? She won't wake up!" Alice took a deep breath. ~This is going to be difficult.~

"Edward...let's go sit down."

"To hell with that! I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong! And where is Carlisle?" She could see that he wasn't about to be reasonable, and she couldn't blame him in the least.

"Carlisle's gone out of town for the day. Bella should wake up in a few hours. And Caralla will be here about the same time the rest of the family gets back."

"Caralla? Why? What-" He broke off suddenly and she could almost see the wheels in his head turning. "Something went wrong, didn't it? With the bond? What happened?" She decided to be honest.

"I don't have a clue what happened. That's why I called Cara. She seems to have an idea, though, but she said that we need to keep Bella calm right now, and keep her and Carlisle separated until she gets here. That's why he went to Seattle for the rest of the day. He won't come back until we call him. And right now, Bella's been mildly sedated, because I don't have a clue what's going to happen when she wakes up and realizes he's not here." He slumped to the ground, completely beaten and broken.

"Bella..." he whispered. Alice made as if to sit down beside him, but his haunted eyes met hers.

"Please...just leave me alone for a little while. I need to...just go, okay? I promise I won't do anything, but I can't...I need..." She understood completely. Threading her fingers through his bunny-soft hair and kissing his forehead, she headed upstairs to sit with Bella. She could hear him stand, then walk out the front door, closing it behind him as he took off for somewhere else, and she shook her head sadly.

~Whatever happens had better happen soon.~

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jasper came to a full stop, and the others looked at him in confusion.

"Something's wrong back at the house. Alice's emotions are off the scale right now. I'm going back." Esme put one hand on his arm as he was about to bolt.

"Finish feeding first, Jazz. If it's enough to upset Alice, then we're all going to need to be at our peak." He nodded acquiescence and between the two of them they polished off the deer. Rose and Emmett returned as they were finishing up, and Jasper explained quickly. Without another word the four took off back to their home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Even here, miles away, he could feel her, his mind afire with the raging need to be with her, possess her. He thanked God for his centuries of practicing restraint, because he knew if he were any less strong-willed he'd be heading back to the house and damn the consequences. As it was he found himself sitting in the shade of a huge tree, an unread book open before him, an uneaten bag of chips in his hand, pretending to be just another person enjoying the nice, if cloudy, weather in the park. Two kids ran past, throwing a frisbee, their laughter making him smile even in his current state. He saw a woman walking her dog along the path a short distance away. Everywhere around him was life and usually he thrived on the activity and bustle of humanity. Today, though, it was a mild distraction at best, and he had to concentrate to keep himself from thinking about Bella, and his family. Images and thoughts of her kept finding their way back into his mind, though, however hard he tried to think about other things. Like staying out of her thoughts. As much as he wanted to talk to her, he knew that it wouldn't help matters any - in fact, it might actually destroy the small shred of control he'd pieced back together. So he sat, pretending to be mortal, acting as though he wasn't falling completely apart. And every human that passed paid him no mind, which was just as he needed it to be. He idly turned a page.

~What have we done?~

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bella felt as though she'd been drugged. Her limbs were heavy, her head muzzy, and she blinked blearily for a moment before recognizing Alice sitting beside her, gently stroking her hair.

"Al...Alice? What happened?"

"I'm not sure. What do you remember?" Bella paused for a moment, then blushed bright red, and if the situation had been any less dire Alice would have laughed and teased her about it.

"We were all pretending to watch the movie, and you and Edward seemed to be hitting it off fine, so I coaxed Carlisle outside - WHERE IS HE?!" Her voice had been soft as she started speaking, but when she realized who was missing she bolted upright, nearly shouting. She would have fallen off the bed had Alice not caught her, held her.

"Shh, he's fine, he's in Seattle right now. He'll be back this evening."

"I can't - I have to go to him!" It took very little physical effort to hold the wildly struggling human in place, but a lot of mental effort to not let her worry show.

"Calm down, Bella. I don't want to hurt you. And if you keep fighting I'll have to tie you to the bed." Eventually the energy left the brunette and she slumped back against the cushions. Alice let go, knowing that if Bella tried to move again she'd have no problems catching her. "Now, keep talking. I need to understand what happened."

"I...we...we went outside...it was raining...it felt so good to just stand there in the rain..." She trailed off, her eyes far away as she relived the moments. Alice cleared her throat, snapping Bella's wandering attention back to the matter at hand.

"He didn't bite you, it's obvious. But he did drink from you." Bella's eyes widened.

"How...how did you know?"

"Because when I found him in the study, his eyes were red. Not, like, fully red, but red-gold." Bella closed her eyes and leaned back against the pillows.

"I wanted him to. He's so...and it feels so good to be with him...he was hesitant, but I talked him into it." Alice just shook her head in bemusement, letting her best friend talk. "I've never felt anything like it. Having him inside me is wonderful, but whenever he gives up, when he stops thinking and just feels...god. I could die happy - more than happy."

"Bella...haven't you though that...well, as old as he is, and as strong...he could seriously hurt you." Bella just laughed.

"I think he dislocated my hip earlier. He had me at this impossible angle and it was..." She shivered, moaning softly, looking at Alice. "I barely even noticed the pain, the pleasure was so intense. I wanted more. I still want more. When will he be back?" Alice blinked at the abrupt conversation shift, staring in shock as her friend's gaze unfocused, glazed over. She tried to decide how to answer.

"He...well, Caralla's coming in for a visit, so he'll be back then. Meanwhile -" she hated having to do this, but it was obvious that the first chance she got Bella would be trying to leave and get to Carlisle, so she didn't feel she had much of a choice. "- your mouth must be dry. Want some more punch?" She gestured to the half-full glass on the nightstand. Bella saw it, smiling.

"Yes, actually, my mouth is very dry." A few gulps later, she set the glass back down, not even noticing when Alice moved it away from where it was teetering on the edge of the stand. "I'm so tired. I think I'm going to nap until Carlisle gets back." And with that, she was out like a light. Alice sat there for a long time, searching the future, but as no one had decided anything yet, there wasn't enough to see. Or there was too much to see. Either way, she knew she wasn't going to be any help. Covering Bella back up with the soft comforter, she headed downstairs to wait for the family to get there.


	2. Chapter 2

The living room was filled with anxious, worried vampires, none of which had the slightest desire to even pretend to be human at the moment. There was no need. The only human in the vicinity already knew what they were, and she was asleep in her luxurious bed, and would be for a while. Finally the sound they'd all been waiting for came, the soundless echo of footsteps. Alice rushed out into the foyer and flung the door open.

"Caralla! Thank god! We have to fix this!" She would have said more, but the elegant vampire simply placed one finger over her lips before walking into the living room to join the rest.

"Quiet, Alice. Everything will be fine. We've just got a little cleaning up to do, that's all." Edward just about exploded.

"A little cleaning up? Is that what you call it? The woman I love is drugged to the gills because she's losing her damned mind, Carlisle is somewhere in Seattle and no one's heard from him - and this is just a 'little cleaning up'? God, what would you consider a huge mess?!"

"Pompeii," she said quietly, walking right past Edward into the center of the livingroom, sinking gracefully onto the couch and glancing at everyone.

"Okay, someone needs to explain as much as you know to me - someone other than you, Edward." He looked insulted, but she continued. "Not because your input isn't valuable, but because you are too close to Bella to be able to keep your emotions out of this long enough to explain things."

"She's right, Edward," came Esme's soft voice. She stepped over and put her hands on his shoulders. "Maybe I'd better tell her what's going on."

"Actually, you are also too close to this, Esme." Everyone looked at the raven-haired one in shock. "I can feel your tension from here. You're holding yourself together for everyone else's sake right now, but it's not doing anything for your own mind. Jasper, would you mind?" She made a small gesture with her hands, encompassing the entire room and he understood immediately. A ripple of calm radiated through them all. "Thank you. Now, I'm assuming you're all on the same page here, which means that you all have the same information about this. I'm also guessing that you haven't that much to begin with. So, Emmett, what has happened?" She looked at him, and the big vampire looked frantically around the room like the boy in class that was never paying attention and suddenly gets called upon to answer the math problem. Rose reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing lightly, and he took comfort and strength from that.

"I...um...well, Bella told us the other day that she and Carlisle had accidentally bonded to each other. We were all shocked, 'cause we though that it was a myth."

"Oh, no, it's quite real," she murmured quietly. "Continue?"

"So, I guess Edward and Carlisle had it out or whatever, and everyone was cool. But then Jazz and Esme and Rose and I went hunting, and I guess after Alice and Edward paired off, Bella and Carlisle went outside. As near as we can tell, he drank from her, but there are no bite marks or anything."

"Did anyone check her for small cuts?" Caralla said, and Alice nodded frantically.

"Yes! Yes, there is one! On her neck, right where it meets the shoulder. I didn't think about it, since Bella's always hurting herself." Caralla just nodded.

"And then what?"

"Well, Alice said she left Edward for a moment and found Carlisle in the study, and he said he'd drugged Bella. And they talked, and he decided to go away for a while until he could straighten his head. He's given Bella a sleeping pill dissolved in punch and left, and that's when Jazz felt that we needed to come home. So here we are," he finished - rather lamely, he thought. Caralla just sat in silence for a while. Finally, she stood.

"I need to see Bella." Without a word Edward led the way down the hall to his beloved's room, walking up to sit on the bed, brushing her dark hair with his fingertips. The others had followed, but only Caralla ascended the stairs. She sank to her knees beside the bed and took Bella's hand in her own, her glowing eyes meeting Edward's.

"I promise, Edward, I will do everything in my power to fix this." He laughed, the sound defeated and bruised.

"Can anyone do anything? She's fallen in love with my father, damn it!" The woman shook her head.

"No, she hasn't. I think I can explain a little, though I'll know more in a few minutes." His expression begged her to continue. "You see, bonding is - as you've all learned - not a myth. However, there are usually steps taken to ensure that this type of occurrence doesn't happen. The first time she shared her blood with him, they were making love, which means that her blood was already spiked with endorphins and hormones. That was more than enough to connect them. With Carlisle it would have felt like a gentle tugging of his mind whenever she was near. But Bella, being a human - it would have quickly escalated to an intense need to - for lack of a better word, mate. Which in turn led to this - the need to share with him once more. Only, since this second time she gave her blood again was also during intimacy, it was too much for either of them to handle."

"So how do we fix it?" he asked, sounding so much like a scared little boy Caralla couldn't resist reaching out and cupping his cheek with her hand.

"'We' do nothing. 'You' go down and join your family. 'I' need total silence here, and to be completely uninterrupted, because I will very shortly be diving into Bella's mind and that's not a safe place for either of us if anything tries to distract me." His eyes widened.

"But, Bella - I can't read her. I don't know why, but I think she's got a block. Are you sure you'll be able to get in?" Caralla just smiled gently.

"Edward, I was old before Carlisle's maker's maker's great grandparents were even thought of. And with age comes not only strength, but knowledge. I've already been in Bella's mind once, though she didn't know it at the time. However, even I am not strong enough to keep her from being damaged by the backlash if anything were to disturb my concentration." She paused, taking his hands in hers. "Understand, this is a lot like invasive surgery. I have to go in, find the issue, and repair it. Would you want to startle a surgeon while he was patching up her internal organs?" He shook his head. "Exactly. Now, I promise you, I will not let anything happen to her. I love Bella too, you see. She's special." Gently Caralla traced her fingertips over Bella's brow. "Now, go. Explain to the others what I've said. I will be out whenever it's done. Then we can call Carlisle back and I can work on him next."

"But..." He seemed at a loss for words, and Caralla sympathized. She smiled at him.

"Go." She watched as he turned, walking down the steps with heavy feet and a heavier heatr. After a moment the door shut, and there was a click as someone locked it from the outside. With a sigh Caralla stood, then lay down on the bed beside the girl, rolling onto her side and placing her fingers gently against Bella's temple.

~Okay, Sleeping Beauty, let's fix this obsession.~


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: I promised to update more these past four days off - what I didn't count on was the plethora of family things I had to take care of in that time. However, I haven't forgotten this or any of my other stories...I'm just moving at a slower pace than I'd like. :-P Fear not, though, updates are forthcoming!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's been hours and not a peep. What is she doing?" Edward stopped his pacing, looking up at Rosalie for a long moment before responding.

"All I know is that she said she had to 'dive into Bella's mind'. I have no idea what that means or how she planned to accomplish it, but I do know that if there is anyone capable of fixing this, it's Caralla."

"So does anyone know anything about Caralla? Emmett and I have only known her for a couple of decades." The blonde looked at Esme.

"I met her through Carlisle shortly after we got married."

"Jasper and I met her about - what, forty-some years ago," said Alice distractedly.

"Fourty-four this winter," her husband replied quietly from his perch by the window. Rosalie began pacing as well while she spoke.

"So does anyone know how far back Caralla and Carlisle go?"

"Over three hundred years," came the smooth voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to stare in shock at her sudden appearance.

"How long have you been there?" asked Emmett, admiration in his tone. "None of us heard you come out!"

"Long enough," she murmured as she walked into the room. The family was shocked to see much of her customary grace and poise gone. She was no longer gliding, but just moving. No one said a word as she settled into the chair closest to the window - in fact, no one spoke at all. It was Caralla herself that broke the silence a few moments later.

"Edward, you should go to her. She'll be sleeping for a while, but when she wakes she shouldn't be alone." He was gone almost before she finished speaking, yet she waited for a few moments before saying anything else. An odd chill swept through the room causing the family to glance at one another, and then she spoke.

"Alice, you said Carlisle is in Seattle, correct?"

"The last I heard from him, yes. His future is all fuzzy - it scares me."

"It will remain fuzzy until I can contain the effects of the bond in his mind as well." She leaned back and closed her eyes. "We need to call him back, but it is going to be tricky. That's why I wanted to make sure Edward was out of the room - I needed to sheild our conversation. I hardly think he'd enjoy hearing what I have to say at the moment. Esme, could I use your phone?" Slightly stunned, Esme handed the silver phone to Caralla, not missing the slight shaking of the ancient one's hand.

"When I call Carlisle, we will need to be watching. Now that I've corralled the bond in Bella's mind, his is going to begin to - burn? Is that the best word? - at any rate, he's going to be possessed by the desire to go to her. It will just get stronger the closer he gets to the house. What I will need you to do, and I believe it will take all of you, as frantic as he'll be by the time he gets here, is to stop him about a mile away and hold him there. I'll be explaining the same to Edward, but as Bella is human he can restrain her himself quite easily. Carlisle is going to be the difficult one. He's got hundreds of years on you all, and he's going to be in a bit of a rage, so be very careful to not let go, regardless of what he says or does. I will be there as well, but as I am going to need to mind-walk I'm afraid I won't be much help in the physical struggle." She chuckled without humor. "I'm going to have my hands full just trying to get into his subconscious while he's struggling to get to Bella."

"And why are we keeping them apart exactly?" asked Emmett. Rosalie turned a withering look on him, but Caralla forestalled the blonde's scathing reply.

"No, Rose darling, it is a valid question." She turned to Emmett. "Let me explain a little about the bond. In ancient times, it was a ritual done to ensure perfect obedience from human slave to vampire master. It was never done in affection, and never with consent. If we allowed Carlisle back into the room with Bella, there would be no force on earth that could stop him from involuntarily raping her to death." Around the room came gasps and exclamations, but Caralla held up her hand.

"It is imperative that he NOT REACH THE HOUSE. I know you've more questions for me, but I beg you, let me finish this and I promise to explain the situation to everyone to the best of my ability. It's a lesson anyone who lives amongst humans needs to know, to avoid things of this nature." Such was the command and plea in her sentence that even Emmett was quieted. Caralla leaned back, closed her eyes, and dialed a number.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She looked so pale against the dark pillows - pale and beautiful. Her head shifted, tossing a bit, and he reflexively pulled her into his arms, smiling in happiness and relief when she snuggled into his embrace, quieting immediately.

"Come back to me, Bella," he whispered into her hair. "I love you. I need you. Come back." He cradled her to him, closing his eyes against the world and holding his life in his arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He'd stayed in one spot until the sun set, until the crowds of people became groups, became trickles, until the trickles deteriorated to the occasional walker. The moon had been in the sky for a while when he finally stood, absently putting his unread book into his jacket pocket. The wind ruffled his hair, a sensation he usually took much pleasure in, but he didn't notice it at all. He needed to walk, to go somewhere; he felt himself being pulled and, not knowing where he was going, simply began to walk. He was in a deserted area near the center of the park when the pain hit - sharp, piercing, like a solid flame barb embedded in his brain. He dropped to his knees in agony, but even as quickly as he moved the lance of fire in his head dissipated, leaving him kneeling and confused.

~What on earth was that?~ he wondered. After a few moments had passed and the pain didn't recur, he stood tentatively. The need to just go somewhere was still there, stronger than ever, but he chose to sit on a nearby bench for a moment. He forced himself to watch the stars as they played hide-and-seek behind the slowly moving clouds. He became aware of a sound, a light trickle of notes that ascended and descended, and it took him a moment to recognize Esme's ring tone. Reaching reflexively into his pocket he brought out his phone and flipped it open. Before he could say anything, a smokey honeyed voice spoke.

"Carlisle, it's time. You need to come home."

"Caralla?" His voice was a bare whisper.

"Come home, Carlisle. It's time I fixed this." The line disconnected, leaving him with total silence. That, and the understanding of where he was being pulled. The burning desire to go home flared to life and a brief second later the park was deserted save for the wind and a stray cat. The four-legged hunter sniffed for a moment at the bench, then disappeared into the bushes, and the wind was left alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: Warning - extreme angst, drama, and viciousness ahead. But I promise things won't stay that way forever. Still, any great reward is worth the pain the journey may bring.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

~Edward,~ came the whisper-soft words in his mind. He opened his eyes and was startled to see Caralla at the foot of the bed.

~Holy - I didn't hear you come in!~ he thought, shock coloring his tone. She smiled wearily.

~I seem to be getting that a lot lately.~ She moved to stand on Bella's other side, reaching out to gently caress the sleeping girl's hand. ~I came in to tell you that we're calling Carlisle back. I'll be going into his mind as I did Bella's, which will be easier as he's got no natural defenses, but harder because he'll be awake the entire time. I wanted to let you know that, no matter what happens, you are not to let Bella leave this bed. She's going to get very agitated. She may even say hurtful things, or try to fight you - ignore it all. Just keep her here.~

~When will it be safe?~ She looked him dead in the eye.

~Whenever your darling Bella no longer wants to kill you for restraining her.~ Her tone softened then. ~It's going to be fine, Edward. The damage isn't as bad as I feared it would be - it's actually a lot easier than I anticipated.~

~Which is, of course, why you look like hell,~ he thought wryly, his smile letting her know he meant no offense. ~I'd hate to see what you'd be like if it were severe.~ He watched, stunned, as she shuddered before straightening up.

~The last time I had to do this, it nearly killed me, the couple involved...and an entire family who had the misfortune to be in the same house. As it is, the man never recovered, and I was forced to - well, to hibernate and recover for the better part of a century. This is much easier.~ Leaving him reeling, she eschewed the stairs entirely and simply dropped off of the platform. A moment later he heard the click as the door shut, then the thunk as the bolt dropped into place. He curled himself back around his beloved.

"Come back to me, Bella," he murmured into her hair. "I love you. I need you. God, I miss you. Come back." He lay there with her and waited for the worst.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They stood amongst the trees, waiting for him. Caralla found them easily, as they'd made no effort to hide. ~That's for the best. Then he won't be aware of anything but a welcoming party.~

"So we, what, just grab him?" Rosalie sounded almost perturbed, and Caralla chuckled to herself.

"Well, I'd like to say that we'll be able to talk to him, but I can't be definite. Certainly talking is our first option, but the closer he gets to the house the more his mind will drive him towards Bella, so by the time he arrives he may not be...well, the Carlisle we all know." She did laugh this time, causing all eyes to turn to her.

"Something funny?" asked Rose, a bit of acid in her voice.

"A little. I just thought how odd it was that Carlisle, of all people, would end up so deeply bonded that he'd lose control. You have to admit, the thought is...slightly odd." Grudgingly Rosalie conceded the point. After a moment, Esme's head snapped up, her eyes wide.

"He's on his way. He's almost here." She turned to Caralla, her eyes full of hope and worry. "It's going to be okay, right?" Caralla nodded, and the younger ones seemed to take some comfort from it. After a period of silence, Caralla stepped forward.

"Carlisle," she said slowly, careful not to move too quickly as he stepped towards them. She heard a tiny gasp from Alice and some muttering behind her as they took in his appearance. To anyone's sight, he looked the same as ever - a golden-haired beauty with compassionate eyes. But those eyes were wide now, the compassion equally balanced with a wildness that none of them had ever seen before. Caralla had, and she knew she didn't have much time.

"Caralla," he said, his voice a low rumble. "And you are here why?"

"To help you."

"And why do I need help?" She could sense his family wanting to say something, but she made a small gesture to keep them quiet.

"Because if I don't mute the turmoil in your mind, you will end up hurting someone." He laughed, the rich sound somewhat out of place and a little creepy, standing as they all were in the pitch-blackness of the forest.

"They're all immortal. I can't hurt them. And I never would - I love my family."

"But Bella's human!" came Alice's small voice, and everything stopped for a brief second. Caralla barely had time to gather herself, mentally cursing the pixie's big mouth.

"Grab him!" she yelled, watching in a bit of distracted fascination as he bolted past her and directly into the arms of his family.

"I have to get to Bella!" he snarled, snapping at Emmett. True to his nature, though, the big guy just dodged and grabbed Carlisle from behind, pinning his arms with help from Jasper. Rose, Esme, and Alice held his legs. "Caralla, you bitch!" he spat, causing more than one of the Cullens to gasp in shock. The vampire in question didn't even flinch.

"Come now, Carlisle, do you want to hurt her? Hurt the one you care so much for?" A brief flash of sanity returned, and he hung his head for a moment before raising his gaze to her.

"Do what you have to, Caralla - I won't be a party to anything that hurts Bella." As his lips formed her name, however, his eyes glazed over and he redoubled his struggles. Caralla walked forward calmly and leaned close, looking up into his face as she rested a hand on either temple before closing her own eyes.

"Hold him tight now. This may take a little while." And then, as they all watched in stunned confusion, her eyes reopened to focus on his. All trace of the red-gold in their depths was gone, leaving only a liquid obsidian that seemed to swirl and pulsate.

"What the hell?" gasped Rosalie in surprise. No one else commented, as she'd spoken for all of them. Instead, they concentrated on holding Carlisle and hoping for a happy ending.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bella leapt almost completely out of bed before Edward caught her, pulling her back to him. Her struggles weren't anything to contend with. In fact, he had to make sure he wasn't holding her tight enough to injure her. What was hardest to bear were the words she was muttering.

"Edward, let me go! I have to go to him - he needs me!" He said nothing, steeling himself against the pain he knew was coming. Somehow, he'd not doubted Caralla when she said it would be hard.

"Let me go, you sadistic bastard! You're hurting me!" Her voice was almost a whine, nearly convincing...were it not for the fact that he could feel the tension in her limbs, readying her to spring as soon as he relaxed his grip.

"Bella, love..." he began, but she cut him off.

"Love? If you loved me you'd let me go!"

"It's because I love you that I can't!" he retorted.

"But what if I don't love you? Let me go, Edward, or I swear I will hate you forever!" He closed his eyes, fighting the hurt, fighting the pain, until he'd pushed it all inside a corner of his soul he never knew he possessed. After a moment he was in complete control of himself. He turned her head until she was facing him, his voice quiet and firm.

"Hate me forever if you want, but I'd rather you hate me for loving you than love me for letting you die."


	5. Chapter 5

~Carlisle - I know you're in here.~

~You meddlesome bitch!~

~That's not you, Carlisle. When have you ever been so vicious? Talk to me.~

Within his mind, Caralla could see his memories flashing by, some more swiftly than others. It was difficult to work with someone who was awake, and more so when that someone was a master of controlling his own thoughts and emotions. It made it that much more deadly when they snapped. She knew this could easily kill her, him, and Bella as well, regardless of the confident nonchalance she protrayed to the others. She'd vowed to never assist in rebuilding a bond again, not after...at any rate, never again. But then Alice called, and she couldn't help but feel guilty in part. She'd explained a bit about the bond to Bella, but had never imagined the two of them would take it so far.

~Caralla..?~ His thoughts reaching out to her were hesitant, scared, and she knew he was fighting his inner demons himself. At least he was willing to fight them.

~Yes, Carlisle, it's me.~

~What's going on? I can't...hold myself in check.~

~The bond, Carlisle. I...neglected to inform you both as to the dangers. So in a way this entire debacle is my doing. Can you feel the bond, Carlisle?~

~Ha. As if I can feel anything else. Even now it's nearly overwhelming. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold on.~

~It's okay. Simply lead me to it. The quicker I can home in on it, the quicker we can fix this. It's going to hurt, since I'm essentially ripping a hole in your mind.~

~Don't care...about pain...~ The strain was becoming too much for him, but then she was there, she could feel the knot of sensation in his subconscious.

~Okay, Carlisle. I promise to make this as quick as possible.~

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He'd been thrashing about, trying to free himself, and if it had been just one of them holding him he would have succeeded easily. But with five of them there, all attempts at escape were futile. They watched Caralla mostly, everyone entranced by the glowing blackness of her eyes as they stared, wide and unblinking, into Carlisle's own. It seemed forever had passed before anything chaned, but when it did it was sudden. All at once he went limp, totally unresponsive, causing Esme to squeal in alarm and turning all attention from the woman standing there to the man in their arms.

"Carlisle!!" Her voice was panicked.

"It's done," came a whisper from below them. Everyone turned at once to see the graceful vampiress in a decidedly non-graceful slump on the ground.

"What?" echoed five voices at once.

"It's done," she repeated. "They're both safe. There is only one more thing left to do, but neither Bella nor Carlisle will be alert enough for at least a day, so we should all go back to the house." She tried to stand on shaky legs, almost made it, and dropped to the ground again. "Go on. I will follow you in a moment, as soon as I have my strength back." Jasper could sense her annoyance at her own weakness, but also her pleasure at having succeeded in...well, whatever she'd just done.

"Take Carlisle back to the house," he said to the others before turning to Caralla. "If I'm not mistaken, darlin', you could use a bite to eat. I'll go grab something and bring it back." She smiled at him in wordless thanks and lay down on the soft ground, closing her eyes. She could hear the rest of them as they carried their familial leader back to their home, and smiled in satisfaction. Only one more thing left to go, and that would be the easy part. It wasn't a minute before Jasper was back, carrying a mountain lion. He'd knocked it out, leaving it alive as he knew she'd prefer that, and she murmured a grateful thanks as she dug in. He sank to the ground across from her, watching as she cleanly divested the animal of its blood, finishing quickly. He could see the life returning to her eyes, watch them fade from hunger black to muted gold.

"Thank you, Jasper. Thank you so much. I don't know when I would have had the energy to call one to me, let alone go find something myself."

"Not a trouble at all." He paused, unsure of whether to tread on sensitive territory, but needing to know if he was correct. "It was your mate, wasn't it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The last time you attempted to repair a bond. It was your mate." She blinked, then understood.

"You've been talking to Edward, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have. While you were in Carlisle's head I was keeping tabs on Edward and Bella. To distract himself he related the conversation you two had." He reached out for her hand, sending calm through her, and while usually it wouldn't have had much effect, as weakened as she still was it felt like heaven. "You don't have to answer."

"Yes." He nodded, sensing she needed to talk and staying quiet to let her. "We were both new to our lives, both young. We'd enjoyed a wide and varied life beforehand, but when...well, those details aren't necessary. After we'd been changed, our love was still strong, but we realized how empty the millennia ahead could be if we were held to one another then entire time. A few centuries would be easy, but then it would just get harder. So we'd made a decision to spend a decade together, then one apart, traveling, seeing what we could.

"I hadn't heard form him in almost eight years, so when he mindcalled me, I was so startled I let my prey escape. He said it was urgent, that he needed help and didn't know where to turn. As it was, he wasn't very far from me, only a country or two away, so when I got to him he'd just finished chaining himself to a dungeon wall. I knew the manacles wouldn't hold him, but it scared me to wonder why he'd done so. He told me that he'd mistakenly bonded to one of his favorite ladies, and he'd nearly killed her.

"In those days, the bond wasn't myth. It had been in practice for years. In fact, that's what precipitated my change...there I go again, rambling. I found the girl, broken and bloody, but still alive, and knew that I had to sever the tie somehow before it killed her. I dove in, having no idea what I was looking for, but I knew it when I found it. I had some idea of how to repair the damage to a human mind, and when I was done she was resting peacefully. I knew she would die anyway - her injuries were far too extensive - but this way I hoped she wouldn't take my husband with her. When I was done with her I went to him.

"He'd yanked the chains from the walls but had yet to get through the dungeon door. Perhaps he was holding himself back, or maybe it really was that strong. I'd never tried to mend the mind of a vampire, however, and though I thought it would be similar, when I plunged into his mind it was anything but. I nearly killed myself trying to locate the bond, and broke through it with more force than finesse. I wrenched myself from his mind and heard him fall to the ground before I myself blacked out.

"When I came around, he was gone. The door had been ripped off its hinges. I could hear this godawful screeching from above me, and made my way outside to where my husband stood. I didn't recognize what was around his feet at first...until I saw her eyes. And when he turned to me, he wasn't my husband anymore. He'd become something else. He lunged at me, and I was too weak to fight him off. I thought to simply let him kill me, as I knew without a doubt I would never have him back again. Instinct had me fight back, however, and a few moments later..." She couldn't finish, and Jasper was perfectly fine with that. She was shaking, lost in her own memories, and she leaned against him gratefully when he moved closer.

"It took me almost a hundred years to regain my strength. I decided then that I would never let anyone suffer that fate if I could avoid it. I studied, I asked, I researched. The years flew by, and before I knew it, the thing I'd considered my life's work was regarded my many vampires as myth, a story no longer worthy of even being told to fledgelings. I am the only one walking the earth today that has this knowledge. And while I am proud of that, I just...I could wish I knew then what I know now." She lapsed into silence for a long time before standing up, still shaky but much more in control.

"Thank you, Jasper. I've never been able to purge that from my mind before." He was standing next to her, his hand on her shoulder.

"No, thank you, for sharing it with me."

"Let's go back. We've got about twenty hours before they start to come around, and I think I owe everyone some explanations." In a companionable quiet, they headed back through the woods to the house.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's note: So we finally learn a little about the elusive Ancient One. She's got a few more surprises in store, but luckily nothing bad...or at least, nothing that ends badly. Stay tuned!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: I wanted to make this chapter a bit longer as I may not be able to update tomorrow due to funky work schedule and family stuff. Still, I give you this chapter to enjoy!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Her head was pounding, her mouth was dry, and as near as she could tell by the way her stomach felt, she'd swallowed a porcupine. And yet, whenever she opened her eyes and saw the concern, the love in his glowing golden ones, nothing else mattered.

"Edward," she whispered, and saw his face light up before becoming closed once more. ~My god. What have I done?~

"Bella," he replied, evenly and without inflection, almost as though he was unsure who he was greeting. "How do you feel?"

"Like shit," she replied honestly. "Better, though, since you're here. I bet I look just as horrid, though," she chuckled quietly. Smiling at her for the first time since she awoke, he kissed the tip of her nose.

"Bella, you could never look anything but lovely." His words warmed her, and she snuggled closer into his arms.

"Yeah, but you're biased," she murmured, feeling - of all things - sleepy.

"Doesn't make the statement any less true." She tried to yawn discreetly, but he saw it anyway. "Get some sleep, love. You need to recover."

"But I've been sleeping forever!" Another yawn and her eyes began to drift shut of their own accord.

"That was different. That was catatonia. This is rest, a healing sleep."

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you stay here, with me? I think I'll sleep better with you." He smiled happily, and though she couldn't see it he knew she heard it in his voice.

"Bella, I will be here forever for you. Now rest." A few seconds later and she was settled against him, her loving guardian ready to keep watch against the shadows of the night.

Her last thought before she slipped into a peaceful slumber was that there was something missing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the room upstairs, a similar vigil was being held. Esme was stretched out alongside her husband, taking what comfort she could in the fact that Caralla said whatever she had done had worked. She'd sent the others away hours ago, wanting to be alone with him for a while. She tangled her fingers in his soft hair, loving the way the strands felt against her fingers. She found herself thinking about the events that had shaped these last months, and try though she might she couldn't find it in herself to be angry at...well, anyone, really. She supposed she could be angry at Bella. Or at Carlisle. Or even herself. But when it boiled right down to it...it wasn't worth the hassle of being upset. Things would work out. She pressed her lips to Carlisle's cheek, offering comfort to him as much as herself.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too." His near inaudible response had her sitting up in shock, then launching herself into his still weakened embrace with a happy squeal.

"Carlisle! How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

"Well, I've got a huge headache. Haven't had one of those in so long I forgot what it feels like." He chuckled. "And to think there were times I missed being human." He pulled her against his chest, burying his face in her hair.

"Whatever Caralla did must have worked then!" she said joyfully. He looked at her, completely confused.

"Caralla...she's here? What did she do?" Esme sat up and met her man's gaze.

"Honestly, I don't know. None of us do, really. What do you remember?" He thought for a moment.

"I remember kissing you goodbye when you headed out to hunt, and walking back into the livingroom to watch a movie with Edward and Alice and Bella." He seemed a bit pensive when he continued. "After that it's all a bit fuzzy. Like something tickling my mind that I should see but am blind to."

"So you don't remember anything that happened afterward?" She hated to push, but she needed to know what he knew. If he didn't recall it, then she wouldn't bring it up. Not until they'd all talked to Caralla later.

"No. Not until a few moments ago when I woke up with the most beautiful woman in the world in my arms. Though," he added, a smile on his lips, "if that's the treat I get for waking up I must really try and find out how to go to sleep more often." She laughed with him, kissing him solidly before laying back down beside him, her head on his arm.

"So why is Caralla here? Not that I mind having her visit, but...is something wrong?" He felt her tense slightly, but she shook it off with ease.

"Nothing's wrong anymore. Yes, Caralla's here. We'll be going down to talk to her later. Right now, though," she said, rolling over to place a hand on his chest, "I'd like to simply lay here with you for a while. If that's okay with you, that is," she added with a grin.

"I can't think of a better day," he murmured, holding her close and enjoying the peacefulness of just doing nothing. Nothing, that is, except wondering why he had an empty spot in his mind where, he got the feeling, something important was once stored.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

Bella awoke to Edward's gentle voice.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, time to wake up. They're all waiting on us." She sat up, stretching, feeling more alert than she had earlier.

"Sleeping Beauty? Well, weren't you supposed to wake me with a kiss?"

"I tried," he said in feigned insult, "but you slept right through it." She just laughed, leaning over to kiss him easily. After a moment they broke apart.

"Honestly, though, everyone's waiting for us in the livingroom. Come on." He stood and held out his hand, waiting for her to swing her legs off the side of the bed and stand. She'd taken one step before she all but collapsed.

"Aaagh! God, that hurts! What the hell happened to my hip?" She looked at him for an explanation, and he thought quickly.

"It was an accident earlier. You'll hear all about it in a little while, I'm sure." ~No need to tell her that it got dislocated while she was having wild sex in the rain with Carlisle and I was in the other room enjoying the feeling of Alice riding me like a bronco.~ He scooped her up in his arms, dropping to the floor lightly. She just laughed.

"Am I the only person who ever plans to use those stairs?" He kissed her again briefly.

"Of course. Why do you think we built them?" Carrying her out the hall, he walked into the living room and was shocked again at Bella's response.

"Hi, everyone. Don't know what's up with my napping all of a - Caralla? When did you get in? Why didn't anyone tell me?" The raven-tressed beauty was just as breathtaking in the Cullen living room as she had been in Greece, and Bella smiled at her as she stood and walked over.

"Darling Bella, I couldn't bear to have them wake you." Edward set Bella on the couch carefully before taking a seat himself. The entire room radiated with tension as Bella and Carlisle locked gazes.

"Hey there," she whispered. He just smiled.

"Hey there yourself." Suddenly his eyes widened in shock, snapping to the visiting vampire.

"Caralla! What the hell is going on? What did you do?" The Cullen clan all suddenly had something to look at that was more important than the shocked and marginally upset head of the family, but Caralla just looked at him calmly. On the couch, Bella gasped in abject realization.

"Carlisle, what do you mean?" It wasn't a question of evasion, it was a request for an honest answer. And she got it, in stereo as Carlisle and Bella realized what they'd been missing.

"The bond is gone!" Bella cried, her body shaking with anger and anguish. Carlisle's voice wasn't very different.

"Caralla, what the HELL did you do to our BOND?" He was standing, more furious than anyone in the room had seen him in a very long time. In two steps he'd crossed to stand between Caralla and Bella, staring daggers at the elegant elder. She, in turn, simply stared back, her voice calm when she did decide to speak.

"I separated it for the time being."

"You what? Why would you sever our bond?" came Bella's quiet cry from behind Carlisle.

"I didn't sever it. To do that would have killed you, and probably driven Carlisle mad. I simply separated it, so that it can be rejoined the proper way."

"And what way would that be?" Carlisle spat.

"A way that would avoid the otherwise definite death of this human we all find so precious. Relax, Carlisle. I would never break your bond. It's something that will become very necessary in days and years to come. But if it had continued the way it was going..." She didn't finish her sentence, causing Bella to prompt her.

"What would have happened?" With a casual motion Caralla took one step to the side so she could see both Bella and Carlisle while still remaining visible to the rest of the family - who had decided it owuld be prudent to stay silent, as no one had any idea what was going to happen. Her eyes stayed on Bella, but it wasn't the human she addressed.

"Edward, I will need your help for this. I'm going to project something, and while I can send it to Bella I haven't regained all of my strength yet. I'd like you to read it from my mind and communicate it to the others."

"Of course," he said with more certainty than he felt.

"Good. Then let's begin." In a brief moment, the entire roomful of people felt themselves drawn into what was obviously both vision and memories.

~It started here.~ A flash of Bella and Carlisle in Greece, that fateful kiss that began the bond flaring within everyone's minds with the force of a star gone supernova. Around the room there were gasps at the intenstiy of the sensations that flooded through the mating couple. ~And it grew, in need and hunger. Born of lust and love, it quickly outpaced the latter and became almost wholly comprised of the latter.~ Random scenes of their frenzied couplings both in Greece and back in the states, no scene staying clear long enough to do more than absorb the feelings generated. ~It went to this.~ A very vivid replay of the moment that Bella drew the knife across her skin, the second that Carlisle leaned in to take what was offered so freely, the sensation blurring the lines between what was safe and what was deadly. It showed how it masked any and all of their sensations but desire and need, driving them both higher and faster than their minds could take. The moment where Bella's hip snapped out of place. The resulting fanatic climax on both parts; the way it only served to tighten the bond in a way it wasn't intended. ~And then this.~ The shattered fragments of Carlisle's mind, and of Bella's. The battle Caralla had waged, first within Bella's sleeping mind, and then within Carlisle's very much alert one. The last moment of clarity before she withdrew from Carlisle's mind, her job done.

"Enough," Caralla whispered, letting go of the images as Edward did, both of them drained by the effort it had taken. Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's shoulder, leaning his head against herneck, while Caralla sank to the floor and leaned backward against the coffee table, stretching her legs out in front of her. The room was dead silent except for the one very living being whose breathing was staggered and erratic.

"If the bond had been left to grow as it was, do either of you doubt the outcome?" Carlisle turned to look at Bella as she looked up at him. In their faces could be read a multitude of matching emotions, the most prevalent being fear. Turning to Caralla, they shook their heads.

"I...would have died." Bella sounded very small, but Caralla had to push her point.

"Not just died. You would have been torn apart in the midst of the most painful pleasure known to man, after which Carlisle would have been so guilt-ridden that he would have been racing Edward and Esme to Italy to see which of them would get obliterated by the Volturi first." She let that sink in. Silence was once more the sound of the moment, until a quiet, hesitant voice spoke from the other side of the room.

"I see now. You'll help them, won't you?" Caralla turned to Alice.

"Absolutely. I'm still here, aren't I?" she added with a smirk.

"Help us what?" asked Carlisle.

"I need to guide you through reconnecting the bond properly, beacuse if left separate too long it could cause exactly as much damage as if I had simply severed it to begin with. But I will not do this without everyone's agreement, as it is not just the fate of two lives I am affecting, but that of everyone present today." She turned to the rest of the still-quiet Cullen family. "So, I'd have your thoughts, if I may ask for them."

"It's so much clearer now. Everything will be fine." Alice's confident voice rang out before anyone else could speak. Caralla simply nodded and turned to Jasper.

"Well," he drawled slowly, "it seems to not be the bond itself, but how it was forged that caused the problems. Honestly, in the beginning, everything was so smooth for all of us that I know at least Esme mentioned wishing she'd thought of it first. I say do it."

"Go for it," said Emmett, echoed shortly by Rosalie.

"Yes. If it can be done without hurting anyone, do it. I can't stand the thought of Bella or Carlisle slowly going insane." Esme was nodding by the time Rose was finished.

"I think it would be for the best," she said gently.

"As do I," capitulated Edward, shocking everyone but Alice. Caralla, however, simply nodded as she had to everyone else before turning back to the two that had yet to be heard from.

"Well, that seems to leave just the two of you. If either of you wish this not to happen, I won't be a part of forcing it. But keep in mind, I cannot do this again. I will not. If you decide at a later date that this is something you wish you hadn't done, there will be no going back."

Carlisle turned to Bella where she sat on the couch. He took a moment to look at the rest of them - his family, his wife, his children; his friends. Seeing nothing but acceptance and agreement in their golden gazes, he sat on the couch.

"It's up to you, Bella. You know what my answer is. I already feel that something important is missing from my mind." She looked first to Edward, kissing him gently, lingeringly. Then she looked back at Carlisle. Seemingly about to speak, she stopped to regard Caralla.

"Does this mean I don't have to worry about having my joints forcibly dislocated anymore?" she asked wryly. Caralla laughed.

"Only if you ask for it, Bella love." The brunette looked back at the man beside her.

"Then yes, I accept. Let's fix this. I miss you too, Carlisle." Alice let out a cheer, and the entire room began to laugh.

"Yeah! This is going to be awesome! We get to watch a binding, a real binding, something that hasn't been done for..." she glanced at Caralla.

"A very long time," the other said noncommittally.

"Oh, Caralla, one of these days we'll find out how old you really are," Alice laughed again, the brightness of the mood dispelling the last, lingering traces of hurt and allowing them to be, once again, a family.


	7. Chapter 7

The next few days were normal - well, as normal as they could be, given the circumstances. Caralla knew that they would need the time to let their minds let go of the poison of the old bond so it could be replaced by the comfort of the new one without worry. She'd taken the opportunity to study the Cullens as a family. For all that she'd known Carlisle most of his life, and had interacted with the others to varying degrees over the years, the presence of everyone within the family dynamic was something she'd had yet to witness for herself. It was nothing short of amazing. They were enjoying the thunderstorm and playing baseball, as was their habit, and she found herself mesmerized by the connection they all shared.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Bella's soft voice warmed the elder, and she patted the ground beside her in an invitation for the human to sit. Bella did so, slowly lowering herself to the soft dirt, being ever mindful of her healing hip.

"I was just watching your wonderful family. It's an oddity, even for a group of beings that thrive on the lack of ordiinary."

"How so?" She was honestly curious, and Caralla knew that was one of the things she truly did love about the girl.

"Vampires are normally solitary creatures. We don't produce offspring in any normal sense, so the desire to mate is usually completely absent, except as a means to physical pleasure. Most of our kind have a difficult time remaining in close proximity to one another without good reason, and even that is trying. The Volturi manage it because they enjoy their meddling more than they wish to avoid groups. There are a few other groups that have managed this feat to some degree. But I have never seen a gathering of our kind that is as much of a true family as this one."

"I'm not going to be like everyone else and ask you your age, but it's obvious you've been around for a long time." Bella paused. "Do you...do you think I...you know what? Never mind."

"Yes. It's what you were born to be."

"Did you just read my mind?" Caralla laughed at the shock in Bella's voice.

"Not at all. I read your expression, your body language. Far easier, and expends alonst no mental energy."

"So how do you read my mind, when no one else can?"

"Many many centuries of practice. You see, as we get older, our talents develop more strongly. When I was still mortal, I was a...well, what would be known as a seer in this day and age." Her voice took on an almost dreamy quality, and Bella was more than happy to listen as Caralla took a walk down memory lane. "I lived in a small village. Of course, comparatively, they were all small. From a young age - young nowadays, though then I was considered an adult - I was asked to mediate whenever disagreements would arise. I could cut to the heart of the matter with ease. No one's mind was blocked to me. As a result, now that I have lived so long, that ability has become almost unbreakable, in addition to other ones I've developed over the years.

"You see, as far as I know I am the oldest of our kind that yet walks the earth. Few have that kind of strength, that desire for knowledge to drive them. Without some sort of driving force, millennia upon millennia could drive a person mad. I take it as a badge of pride that I have managed to stay sane so long." She laughed. "Though there are some that would question that." This time, Bella laughed with her and they both settled back to watch the game. The storm was winding down, and the players would be finished soon.

"Caralla?"

"Hmm?"

"What do we have to do to fix our bond?"

"Essentially the same thing you had to do to forge it to begin with. Though without the sex this time. And in addition to sharing your blood with Carlisle, you will have to partake of a few drops of his as well. It will keep the connection equal rather than having one side try to fight for dominance."

"Wait - I have to drink Carlisle's blood?" Caralla sat with her eyes closed, but Bella could tell she was reading every reaction.

"Only a taste. Does the idea bother you?" It took Bella a long time to answer, but when she did her voice was firm.

"No, not really. I thought it would, but it doesn't somehow."

"Then everything will be fine." Nothing more needed to be said, so they sat shoulder-to-shoulder and watched as the Cullens played, feeling the togetherness blend with the rain in perfect harmony.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: I do apologize wholeheartedly for the lack of updates. I've still been writing, but my quality time with my computer has been cut short thanks to bizarre work schedules and family junk. However, as I have the next two days off, I hope to type and post more chapters. :_

So...Bella has to drink from Carlisle. How weird is that? It definitely wasn't what I expected. (Thanks, EPBs. Once more you give me stuff to work with that I don't have a clue what to do with. LOL)


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: See? I promised more updates. :-D

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Though Caralla had said there was no need for anything so formal, Alice couldn't be stopped. She was turning this ritual into a full-blown debacle, setting chairs outside, strewing flower petals about, draping shimmery fabric here and there, and placing dozens upon dozens of small candles in little lanterns around the yard.

"Come on," she'd pleaded when everyone questioned her reasoning. "This is the first time in hundreds, possibly millions of years that an actual official binding is going to take place. Can't we at least dress up the occasion a bit?" Caralla had stayed out of that particular discussion, laughing as it became apparent that none of them could deny the little imp her fun. As she darted here and there, ordering Jasper and Rose and Emmett about like her own little workers, Caralla spoke quietly to Bella and Carlisle, whilst Esme and Edward sat off to the side and observed.

Edward sat and watched Bella, even as Esme watched Carlisle. Neither of them felt any sort of threat, but rather a radiating peace. How much of that was due to the ceremony and how much to Jasper or Caralla, they didn't know. But as everyone was gathering outside in the cool air, Edward turned to the woman beside him.

"Esme?"

"Yes?"

"I feel...I don't even know how to describe it. My logical mind is screaming that I should feel at least betrayed, yet I don't. What are your thoughts?" She was quiet a moment before answering.

"Oddly, much the same as yours. I feel like I should be upset, but all I am is...well, excited? Curious?" She paused, collecting her thoughts. "Let me ask you - do you doubt that Bella loves you above anything? Or that you return those feelings?"

"Not a bit," he replied firmly, his voice full of certainty.

"And I don't doubt my husband for one instant. I also don't doubt that this could be the best thing to happen for all of us. Am I making any sense?" Edward just nodded, smiling as Bella laughed at something neither he nor his companion heard. She turned, smiling at him from behind the wind-blown veil of her hair, and Edward found all of the love he would ever need in her eyes.

"Well, everyone, should we get this rather, um...festive...ritual started?" Caralla's eyes swept the multitude of candles and flowers and sparkly things tossed with a haphazard, yet beautiful, grace all over the yard. It was the space of seconds before everyone was sitting in their seats. As the mates of the two being bonded, Esme and Edward sat in the center of the little half-circle of chairs, having the best view of the proceedings. Rosalie and Emmett sat to their right, leaning against one another, while Jasper and Alice took their seats on the left, twining their fingers together. Esme nodded briefly at Caralla, who motioned the remaining two forward. Bella, as was apparently the custom, sat on her knees on the ground. Carlisle sank to the same position across from her, less than an arm's length away.

"Since you have made this such a formal affair, Alice, would you like me to stick to the old words of ceremony?" asked Caralla.

"Oh, yes, please!" squealed Alice. "I'm sure we'd all love to see the ceremony as it used to be performed!"

"Well," said the elder wryly, "I think this will be one of the rare times it's being performed with consent from both parties, so I can't say it will be an 'authentic' ceremony...but I have knowledge of the rare forms of protocol as well." Alice was all but bouncing ecstatically, and her enthusiasm was contagious. Edward found himself impatient and...bubbly? He looked at Jasper who smiled in sheepish apology and stopped thoughtlessly projecting his wife's emotions onto everyone present. In the next moment, though, they could all feel a massive charge fill the surrounding space, almost like the air just before a lashing, cracking thunderstorm. He realized with no real shock that he was looking forward to this. No one said anything for the longest time, but then Caralla began to speak. Her voice was that of ages past and ages yet to come, and it sent shivers through every single person there. The power in her soft speech was palpable, humbling, and yet loving and warm.

"Since time was new, the power of blood has been called to bear the burden of much of the worlds' ills. On this day, however, the essence of life will be brought to carry love, trust, and security. By time and before time, this bond shall be born, and all who are witness today shall carry the knowledge that this is truly sacred, not to be defiled or warped for evil.

"Isabella Swan, human. Have you so chosen of your own will, free and abiding, to carry this sacred trust and guard it to the best of your ability, even unto death should the necessity arise?" Bella simply nodded, her whispered affirmation audible to everyone present.

"Carlisle Cullen, _akhkharu._ Have you also chosen of your own immortal will, free and abiding, to carry this sacred trust and guard it to the best of your ability, even unto death should the necessity arise?" His voice wasn't much louder as he confirmed his choice, his eyes only on Bella's now, as hers were on his.

"Kin of these two, _akhkharu_ all, bear witness to this bond until such time as you are no more." From somewhere in her sleeve she produced a shining bronze dagger, gleaming and intricately engraved.

"Isabella, your blood is the first to flow." Without a word Bella grasped the knife, holding her hand out, palm up as she'd been instructed earlier. Edward watched in fascination as she drew the blade quickly across her tender skin, the edge so sharp that it took a few moments for her body to realize she'd been wounded. After a few seconds, though, a thin line of red appeared on her porcelain skin, slowly growing larger and darker as her blood began to well between the severed edges of her skin.

"Carlisle. By accepting this, her offering, you accept her life as your own, to protect, to nurture. This vow cannot be forsaken or broken by thine own desire nor the manipulations of any others. Drink, and guard her forever." Everyone watched in enthralled silence as, his eyes never leaving Bella's, he lowered his head. At first he simply inhaled her scent, gently licking the pulse in her wrist, but shortly he moved his tongue down to where her blood was pooling, smooth and vibrant, in her palm. He lapped at it as a cat would a saucer of milk, finally closing his mouth over the wound and feeding gently. As he lapped at her skin her body had begun to staunch the flow on its own, and after a moment all that was left were faint pink traces in the creases of her palm. Shortly, he'd cleaned even those away, leaving her skin smooth and unbroken but for the slice that was already closing of its own accord. He sat up straighter, his eyes beginning to take on a tinge that wasn't red or gold but a burnished umber or sorts. Edward knew he'd never seen that color before, and wondered if it had something to do with the bond.

"She is in your charge now, to cherish and champion, until time itself forgoes all bonds and withers." She paused, taking the knife back from Bella and handing it to Carlisle who took it solemnly.

"Carlisle, your blood is the last to flow." In a motion similar to Bella's he bared his palm, and while everyone looked on, wondering how futile the gesture would be as nothing could puncture a vampire's skin, he ran the blade over his own palm. There were gasps all around as, to everyone's shock, he began to bleed as easily as Bella had. Caralla's voice drew them out of their questioning for the moment.

"Isabella. By accepting this, his offering, you accept his soul as the protector of your own, placing your own being as his rock and support. In hard times he will draw upon your strength. In gentle times you will be his light. This vow cannot be forsaken or broken by thine own desire nor the manipulations of any others. Drink, and cradle him forever." Without hesitation she leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on his fingertips before swiping her tongue out across the thick liquid on his hand. Her expression went from unsure to contemplative as she gently drank from his open palm, eventually settling into contentment as she cleaned his palm much like he had for her. After all traces of his blood were gone, she placed her own hand over his and they both lifted their gazes to Caralla, signaling their acceptance. She smiled, her eyes slowly shifting to the dark, swirling color that the Cullens recognized from her earlier mind-walking. The very air felt charged with electricity, building upon itself and shrouding the group in a veil of emotion and sensation.

"Thus is the bond forged - bear witness now and forevermore." It seemed to those watching that, for a brief moment in time, their joined hands almost glowed, and then all was still, the air was quiet, and Caralla was hugging both Bella and Carlisle.

"Rejoin your family, darlings. I shall see you on the morrow, before I take my leave."

"Oh, you can't be leaving yet!" cried Bella. Caralla tucked the human's hair behind her ear.

"But I have to, Bella. I've been gone from my island for too long. They cancontinue in my absence, but I...well, I miss them." They enfolded one another in a warm embrace for a moment. "Go talk to your family. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thank you, Caralla," she whispered.

"Yes, Cara. Thank you, for everything." Carlisle hugged the gorgeous vampire as well, and she was smiling when she pulled away.

"Well, I couldn't let you kill this wonderful little human with your insanity, now could I?" A quick peck on his cheek and she disappeared into the forest, gone from sight before even the preternaturally sharp eyes of the Cullens could register her leaving. With a grin, Bella turned to find Edward standing before her. A quick sliver of question filtered through her mind, but then he opened his arms and welcomed her home.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Caralla's translation guide:

_akhkharu_: Sumerian word for vampire. Though Caralla uses it with fondness, in the beliefs of ancient Sumer the _akhkharu_ was an evil bloodsucking demon. Makes you really begin to wonder how old she truly is if she still uses Sumerian language smoothly. Honestly, _I_ don't even know how old Caralla is. She's become more a mystery to me since I began writing her than she would have been had she remained in my head and not on paper. LOL


	9. Chapter 9

Caralla had left that morning. All of the Cullens had gone to the airstrip to see her off. After promises to come visit again in a few months, when it wasn't an emergency and she could actually visit, she departed. Bella watched the sky until she could no longer see the shine of the sun on the silver bird, and then they all headed home. Life had returned to a bit of normal, and everyone was glad for that. Bella and Edward were curled up together on her bed, enjoying the quiet and just cuddling and talking softly about everything that had happened when they both heard Carlisle's voice in their minds.

~I hate to intrude, but Alice requests all of our company downstairs. She says we have to talk about the party Friday, quickly, while Esme is out at the store.~

"Shit!" Bella jumped up. "We forgot about Esme's birthday party!" Edward just looked at her, puzzled, so she elaborated. "You know, where you four all get dressed up and -"

"I know which party, Bella," he said with a laugh. I'm just trying to get used to the fact that someone can communicate with your mind and I can't. It's strange." He pulled her close, his arms circling her. "But Alice is right. Shall we see what new tortures she has planned for us poor boys?" he finished with a childish whine, and Bella just laughed. A few moments later everyone was gathered in the living room.

"We've got less than two days," started Alice without preamble. "Jasper says you guys are ready. What do you say to a demonstration? That way we can hammer out any details before Friday." She'd put them all on the spot and they knew it. Rosalie and Bella grinned at each other. This wasn't how either had thought to spend their morning - but they weren't complaining. And beneath Alice's brusque, all-business exterior, her eyes glittered like the gold they were. In contrast, all four of the Cullen men had found the floor or the ceiling to be extremely fascinating as they avoided her eyes.

"Like, right now?" asked Emmett.

"No, next year," snapped Alice. "Of course right now! When did you think I meant?"

"Are you sure that we should? I mean, with everything that's happened in the last couple of days...what if, say, Carlisle and Bella are still too shaky, or what if -" Rose moved with vampire speed to place her fingers against his lips.

"Emmett. Shut up."

"Carlisle and I are fine, thank you for the concern." Bella stood as well, and soon all three women were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, leaving their men little choice. Edward sighed theatrically.

"Okay, they're serious. Maybe we should just..." he closed his eyes in mock resignation - mock because Bella knew she could see him enjoying the idea of cutting loose for once. "...just buckle down and do it."

"Soonest begun, soonest done," murmured Carlisle in agreement, though his eyes flickered from Bella to Rose to Alice and back to Bella, and his amusement was plain to see.

"Jazz?" asked Emmett in a small voice. The southern vampire just propped a hip against the couch and adopted a wicked grin, looking for all the world like a GQ model.

"You know, Emmett," he began slowly, mischievously, "I don't see why you're so nervous. It's not as though it's anything Esme hasn't seen before."

"Yeah, but I usually don't shake my ass for a crowd!" he protested. By this time the girls were all chuckling at the by-play.

"True, but maybe you should," said Jasper smoothly. "It might make it easier to remove the stick you've got jammed up there." Emmett took a swing at Jasper, who ducked easily and darted behind Edward and Carlisle, looking out from between their shoulders playfully. Bella collapsed laughing, Rose slumping down against her.

"He's got you there, baby," she grinned at her husband. He let out a very theatrical sigh.

"Fine. Put on some music and let's get this shit started."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's note: So, the end of this book and it seems everything's worked out now. Thank you for the wonderful reviews and comments, and of course to my Evil Plot Bunnies. LOL Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging. Esme's party will still be happening, and you've all got front row tickets. Make sure to bring some dollar bills to slide into the guys' clothes...well, at least, while they're still wearing any. :-D


End file.
